Automatically adjustable mooring structure for vessels



V. C. BERRY May 7, 1963 AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE MOORING STRUCTURE FORVESSELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22. 1960 INVENTOR.

w m B c m W W May 7, 1963 v. c. BERRY 3,088,287

AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE MOORING STRUCTURE FOR VESSELS Filed Aug. 22,1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 7, 1963 V.C.BERRY AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLEMOORING STRUCTURE FOR VESSELS Filed Aug. 22, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "I"wz//o/v c. BERRY INI/E NToR,

` TTOE/VEY .ilrrited States 3,083,287 AUTMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE MOQRlNGSTRUCTURE FOR VESSELS Vivien C. Berry, Bull Shoals, Ark.

Filed Aug. 22, 1969, Ser. No. 51,214 2 Claims. (Cl. 61--4-8) Thisinvention relates to mooring structures for floating vessels andparticularly to automatically adjustable mooring structures for vesselsailoat in a water body which is subject to changing levels.

Most water bodies are subject to iiuctuation in their water levels, asby variations in river heights, tides, and the like.

In many inland lakes, particularly those artificially created by dams,the surface level of the impounded water may uctuate very widely due toinflux of water from surrounding areas or inlet streams and to thedischarge of water through controlled sluice-ways and the like in thecourse of ood control and power generation. These fluctuations may befrom a few inches to many feet and may occur at various rates. This widefluctuation creates a great deal of diiculty in effectively mooring boatdocks, loading docks or platforms, and other oating structures orvessels in such a manner that they may be safely secured to the shoreduring the variations in water level and maintained in readyaccessibility to the shore throughout the changes in level of the waterbody. Thus a boat dock or other floating dock, if secured to a mooringstructure at a low level, and even though permitted to rise and fallvertically with the change in water level, may be found many feet fromthe shore or margin of the water body when the water level rises a fewfeet, the distance depending, of course, upon the slope of the shore orbank of the water body.

The present invention, therefore, has for its primary object theprovision of a mooring structure for securing a ioating vessel in such amanner that it may rise and fall automatically with the change in waterlevel, while at the same time maintaining the vessel at a uniformdistance from the mooring structure and the marginal shore or bank ofthe water body.

In accordance with this invention, the mooring structure comprises aguide member, such as a rail or rails, secured to the marginal shore orbank of the water body and supported thereon to extend downwardlythereon at an angle to the surface of the water. T'ne guide member ismade to a length such that it will usually extend from a point below thelowest anticipated low Water level to a point above the maximumanticipated high water level. Connection members are provided which areslidable longitudinally of the rails and are connected to the floatingvessel in such a manner that as the vessel rises and falls with thechange in water level, the vessel will be caused to move longitudinallyalong the guide rails by means of the movable connection. The movableconnection may comprise a roller mounted bracket which is rollable alongthe rails, thus reducing the frictional forces and permitting freemovement of the connection member and the attached vessel along therail. The connection member includes a pivoted arm connection betweenthe bracket and the vessel to allow the vessel to swing in a verticalplane about the pivot in response to wave motion occurring in the watersurface.

The lguide structure may extend between several landings at dierentelevations on the shore or land margin of the water body, and a stairwaymay also be mounted on the guide structure to provide ready access fromthe several landings to the vessel at whatever point it may be locatedalong the guide rails. Since the vessel will be secured, as described,at a fixed distance from the rails, it will be always at the samedistance therefrom and by providing a stairway, as mentioned, the vesselwill always be readily accessible to the shore irrespective of the waterlevel.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will become morereadily apparent from the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings which illustrates usefulembodiments in accordance with this invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational, partly perspective, view showing themooring structure in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

PIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 2 2 of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one of the connectionmembers movably securing the vessel to the guide rails;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 ofFIG. 3; and

LFIG. 5 is a partial elevational View of a mooring structure inaccordance with another embodiment of this invention.

Referring rst to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, there isshown a water body W, such as a lake, river, tidal-inlet, or the like,confined by a marginal bank or shore B, which will usually slopedownwardly to the water surface. The surface or level of the water bodyis indicated at L. A vessel, such as a boat dock D, or the like, isshown afloat in the water body being supported on lioats F, of anysuitable or well-known form. It will be understood that the term vesselis herein employed in a broad or generic sense to include any floatingstructure which it is desired to moor to the bank along a water body.

The mooring structure, as illustrated, comprises a rectangular frame,indicated generally at 10, formed by three transversely spaced parallelrails 11 secured together at their upper ends by a cross member 12, theframe being laid to slope downwardly along the bank B and to extendgenerally from a point above the maximum anticipated high ywater levelto a point generally below the lowest anticipated low water level.`Frame 19 is supported from the bank in any suitable manner adapted tofixedly secure the frame to the bank or shore embankment. The frame isshown supported upon a base 13 mounted on a shelf S dug into the bank ata point intermediate the high and low water levels. Base 13 comprises ahorizontally disposed rectangular base frame 14, constructed of suitablestructural members which are laid on the shelf S, and a plurality ofuprights 15 which extend from base 14 to the underside of the respectiverails 11, being suitably connected thereto in any Well-known andappropriate manner. In the case of a steel structure, these supportingelements will usually be .Welded or bolted to the guide rails and to thebase frame. If other types of structural materials are employed, such aswood or concrete, suitable and conventional connections will be providedto effectively secure the guide frame to the bank.

A stairway 16 is constructed between two of the guide rails and in aplane parallel to but slightly below the tops of the rails, asillustrated. The provision of the stairway will permit people to walk upand down the guide frame between various levels of the bank and thevessel. A top landing 17 in the form of a shelf or platform may beprovided at the upper end of the frame and base l14, or shelf S mayprovide a second landinU at a lower level. As illustrated, base 14 issuitably floored at 1S to provide this second landing platform at anintermediate point down the bank between the 'water surface and theupper landing.

Each of the guide rails 11 may be of a conventional structural shape,such as an I-beam, H-beam, channel, or

the like, each comprising a web 19 and longitudinal, laterally extendingedge anges 126. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. l, rails 1v1 areI-beams, having the top and bottom flanges 20 and 21, respectively. Theboat dock D is movably secured to the rails by means of connectionmembers C which, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprise the invertedgenerally U-shaped bracket or carriage dened by a top Wall 22 anddepending side walls 23 which are adapted to span the -lianges 20 ofrail 11 and extend downwardly along the opposite sides thereof.

Each of the brackets or carriages C has journalled there- 1n a pair ofupper rollers 25-25. These are rollably mounted on transverse shafts26-26 located at longitudinally spaced points along the interior of thecarriages and extending transversely lbetween the side walls 23-23.Rubber bearings 27 are provided between the roller hubs and the shafts26 and the periphery may also have a rubber tire 28a. This pair of upperrollers '25 is positioned in the upper portion of carriage C to roll onthe upper surface of anges 20 of the guide rails. Sets of paired rollers22S- 2S are provided in the lower portion of carriage C journalled onshafts 29-29 extending inwardly from the opposite side walls 23-23toward web 19 and below the flanges. One pair of the rollers 28 is thusmounted on opposite sides of web 19 below each of the upper rollers 25,being so positioned with respect to the latter that when the upperrollers ride along the top of anges 20, the lower rollers will engagebeneath the lower faces of ange 20 on opposite sides of web 19. Rollers28 may also be provided with rubber bearings 3b and rubber tires 31.These rubber bearings are suitable for operation under water, since they-will be water-lubricated and will move freely and without wear over thesurface of the guide rails. 'Ihe arrangement of the upper and lowerrollers embracing between them flanges 26 and webs 19 of the guide railsprevents displacement of the carriages `from the rails, and when thecarriages are secured to the vessel, serve to constrain the vessel tomove longitudinally along the rails and also to reduce lateral movement.An arm 32 extends through opening 33 in top wall 22 of the carriage andis pivoted at one end on a shaft 34 which extends transversely of thebracket, whereby arm 32 may swing in a fvertical plane parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the carriage and the rail on which it rides. Theopposite end of arm 32 is rigidly secured to an end of the boat dock D.In the illustrative embodiment employing three of the rails 11 in theguide frame, three of the carriages C will be employed and the arms 32connected to the outermost carriages will normally be secured to theopposite corners of the boat dock nearest the mooringV frame. Theintermediate carriage will be similarly secured to a mid-point along thefront end of the boat dock.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that as the boat dock tends torise and fall with the change in water level, the carriages C will bemoved up and down along the guide rails in conformance to the movementof the boat dock. The pivoted connection between the boat dock andcarriages will permit the boat dock to swing in a vertical plane aboutthe pivots 34 in response to the passage of waves beneath the boat docktoward the shore.

As noted, the arrangement of the carriages about the rails to embracethe flanges in the manner described, will greatly reduce any side-wiselateral movement of the boat dock with respect to the guide frame.

The end of the boat dock which is secured to the guide frame may beprovided with a landing stage or platform 35 which extends from the boatdock toward the guide frame. Ibis landing platform 35 is pivoted on atransverse shaft 36 (FIG. 5) at its inner end adjacent the boat dock andits forward or outer end is mounted on sets of rollers 37 which ride onthe respective rails 11. Thus as the boat dock moves up and down alongthe guide frame, platform 35 similarly moves up and down the guide frameand Will always be closely adjacent stairway 16, and thus readilyaccessible to persons passing between the mooring structure and the boatdock. As noted previously, stairway 16 is located in a plane slightlybelow the level of the upper flanges of the guide rails so that the boatdock and landing platform `35 will be unobstructed in their movementalong the rails.

FIG. 5, which illustrates a modification of the support structure forthe mooring frame, shows frame 10 provided with two or morelongitudinally spaced transverse tie bars 38-38 secured transversely ofthe underside of the frame. A supporting foundation is provided for theguide frame and is in the form of a concrete slab 39 laid on the surfaceof =bank B and provided with concrete footings 4t) extending downwardlyinto the bank. Tie rods 41 are embedded in the concrete of footings 4t)and project upwardly therefrom above the surface of slab 39 in positionto be rigidly secured to tie bars 38, as by welding or other suitablefastening means, in order to thereby ixedly secure the guide frame tobank B. In all other respects, the structure is the sameras thatpreviously described, including the connecting carriages C and thepivoted connecting arms 32 `for securing boat dock D to the guide rails.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention providesan automatically adjustable mooring structure for vvessels which areafloat in water bodies subject to wide changes in the water level. Theadjustment, as noted, will be automatic, and at the same time, as thevessel moves up and down with the change in water level, its positionrelative to the mooring structure will remain iixed so that the vesselis at all times equally accessible to the mooring structure and the:bank or shore, irrespective of the location of the vessel along theguide rails.

In some instances, only a single guide rail may be einployed, or inother cases, two guide rails may be employed instead of the three, asillustrated. The roller and pivot connection means between the vesseland the guide rails may be made of widely varying construction whichwill be readily evident to those skilled in the art, while retaining thedesired features for constraining movement of the vessel longitudinallyalong the guide rails automatically in response to the changes in levelof the water body.

It will be understood that various other alterations and modificationsmay be made in the detai-ls of the illustrative embodiments within thescope of the appended claims, but without departing from the spirit ofthis invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination, a boat enclosure having flotation means for buoyantlysupporting the enclosure on the surface of a water body which is subjectto changing levels and defined by a shore sloping downwardly at an angleto the surface of the water body, and an automatically adjustablemooring structure for said boat enclosure, said mooring structurecomprising an elongate guide member ixedly supported on said shore toextend downwardly along the shore between elevations on the shorerespectively above and below the high and low levels of the water body,said guide member comprising a guide rail having a web and longitudinallaterally extending flanges, carriage means rollably mounted on theguide member, arm means pivotally connecting the shoreward end portionof said enclosure to said carriage means and arranged to constrainswinging movement of the enclosure in` a generally vertical planerelative to the guide member, a landing stage extending from theshoreward end of said enclosure toward the guide member, said landingstage having pivoted connection about a horizontal axis at one endv tosaid shoreward end of the enclosure, roller means supporting the forwardend of the landing stage on said guidemember, and a stairway mounted onthe guide member to extend longitudinally thereof and substantiallyparallel thereto to be continuously adjacent said landing stage as thelatter moves along the guide member, said carriage means including aninverted generally U-shaped housing having a top wall and parallel sideplates depending from the top wall on opposite sides of the guide rail,top roller means journalled in the side plates beneath :the -top wall toroll on top of said anges, and a pair of lower roller means supported bysaid side plates beneath said flanges on opposite sides of said web.

2. In combination, a boat enclosure having yiiotation means forbuoyantly supporting the enclosure on the surface of a water body whichis subject to changing levels and dened by a shore sloping downwardly atan angle to the surface of the water body, and an automaticallyadjustable mooring structure for said boat enclosure, said mooringstructure comprising an elongate guide member fixedly supported on saidshore to extend downwardly along the shore between elevations on theshore respectively above and below the high and low levels of the waterbody, said guide member comprising a guide rail having a web andlongitudinal laterally extending flanges, carriage means rollablymounted on the guide member, arm means pivotally connecting theshoreward end portion of said enclosure to said carriage means andarranged to constrain swinging movement of the enclosure lin a generallyvertical plane relative to the guide member, a landing stage extendingfrom the shoreward end of said enclosure toward the guide member, saidlanding stage having pivoted connection about a horizontal axis at oneend to said shoreward end of the enclosure, roller means supporting theforward end of the landing stage on said guide member, said carriagemeans including an inverted generally U-shaped housing having atop walland parallel side plates depending from the top wall on opposite sidesof the guide rail, top roller means journalled in the side platesbeneath the top Wall to roll on top of said anges, and a pair of lowerroller means supported by said side plates beneath said ilanges onopposite sides of said web.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS712,215 Ttcomb Oct, 28, 1902 1,320,180 Short Oct. 28, 1919 2,625,314Moyer Jan. 13, 1953 2,743,697 Cooper May 1, 1956 2,808,016 Iarnot Oct.l, 1957 2,873,712 Gossen Feb. 17, 1959 3,050,947 Burton Aug. 28, 1962

2. IN COMBINATION, A BOAT ENCLOSE HAVING FLOTATION MEANS FOR BUOYANTLY SUPPORTING THE ENCLOSURE ON THE SURFACE OF A WATER BODY WHICH IS SUBJECT TO CHANGING LEVELS AND DEFINED BY A SHORE SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AT AN ANGLES TO THE SURFACE OF THE WATER BODY, AND AN AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE MOORING STRUCTURE FOR SAID BOAT ENCLOSURE, SAID MOORING STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED GUIDE MEMBER FIXEDLY SUPPORTED ON SAID SHORE TO EXTEND DOWNWARDLY ALONG THE SHORE BETWEEN ELEVATIONS ON THE SHORE RESPECTIVELY ABOVE AND BELOW THE HIGH AND LOW LEVELS OF THE WATER BODY, SAID GUIDE MEMBER COMPRISING A GUIDE RAIL HAVING A WEB AND LONGITUDINAL LATERALLY EXTENDING FLANGES, CARRIAGE MEANS ROLLABLY MOUNTED ON THE GUIDE MEMBER, ARM MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE SHOREWARD END PORTION OF SAID ENCLOSURE TO SAID CARRIAGE MEANS AND ARRANGED TO CONSTRAIN SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE ENCLOSURE IN A GENERALLY VERTICAL PLANE RELATIVE TO THE GUIDE MEMBER, A LANDING STAGE EXTENDING FROM THE SHOREWARD END OF SAID ENCLOSURE TOWARD THE GUIDE MEMBER, SAID LANDING STAGE HAVING PIVOTED CONNECTED ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS AT ONE END TO SAID SHOREWARD END OF THE ENCLOSURE, ROLLER MEANS SUPPORTING THE FORWARD END OF THE LANDING STAGE ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER, SAID CARRIAGE MEANS INCLUDING AN INVERTED GENERALLY U-SHAPED HOUSING HAVING A TOP WALL AND PARALLEL SIDE PLATES DEPENDING FROM THE TOP WALL ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE GUIDE RAIL, TOP ROLLER MEANS JOURNALLED IN THE SIDE PLATES BENEATH THE TOP WALL TO ROLL ON TOP OF SAID FLANGES, AND A PAIR OF LOWER ROLLER MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID FLANGES, AND A PAIR OF LOWER FLANGES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WEB. 